CVE-2010-4053
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedStack-based buffer overflow in an unspecified logging function in oninit.exe in IBM Informix Dynamic Server (IDS) 11.10 before 11.10.xC2W2 and 11.50 before 11.50.xC1 allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via a crafted EXPLAIN directive, aka idsdb00154125 and idsdb00154243.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceStack-based buffer overflow in the oninit.exe logging function of IBM Informix Dynamic Server allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via a crafted EXPLAIN directive. The vulnerability affects IDS versions 11.10 before 11.10.xC2W2 and 11.50 before 11.50.xC1.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 11.10= 11.50CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- Single
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify installed IDS versionRun 'oninit -version' or query the sysmaster database for version information (SELECT * FROM sysidbversion).Affected if The version is 11.10 before 11.10.xC2W2 OR 11.50 before 11.50.xC1.
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Verify EXPLAIN directive is accessibleAttempt to execute an EXPLAIN statement against a test table, or check user privileges via 'SELECT tabid, tabname, userauthor FROM systables WHERE tabid <= 10;' to see if EXPLAIN can be invoked.Affected if EXPLAIN directive can be executed by the authenticated user.
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Confirm logging function is activeCheck the onconfig parameters related to logging (MSGPATH or LOGFILES) or inspect the online.log for recent entries.Affected if Logging is enabled and writing to oninit.exe controlled paths.
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Check authentication accessReview which users or roles have CONNECT privilege to the database, as the vulnerability requires remote authenticated access.Affected if Untrusted or low-privilege users have network access and authentication to the IDS instance.
Your environment is affected if you run a vulnerable 11.10 or 11.50 version of IBM Informix Dynamic Server with EXPLAIN enabled and accessible to authenticated users.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedUpgrade IBM Informix Dynamic Server to version 11.10.xC2W2 or later for the 11.10 branch, and 11.50.xC1 or later for the 11.50 branch. If immediate patching is not possible, restrict network access to the database server and limit EXPLAIN directive permissions to trusted users only.
IBM Informix Dynamic Server 11.10.xC2W2 (or later 11.10.x) or 11.50.xC1 (or later 11.50.x)
- 1. Identify current Informix Dynamic Server version using 'onstat -' or 'oninit -version' command
- 2. Schedule a maintenance window for the upgrade process
- 3. Ensure complete database backup including logical logs and physical storage
- 4. Download IBM Informix Dynamic Server 11.10.xC2W2 or later for 11.10 branch, or 11.50.xC1 or later for 11.50 branch from IBM Fix Central or IBM Passport Advantage
- 5. Stop all Informix services using 'onmode -ky' to gracefully shutdown the database
- 6. Install the upgraded Informix Dynamic Server version following IBM installation documentation
- 7. Apply any additional security patches or cumulative updates released after the initial fix
- 8. Restart Informix services and verify successful startup with 'onstat -'
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,600.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2010-4053 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2010-4053 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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